Archive for GPS

Holux M-241 wireless GPS logger

With a personal interest in GIS/GPS related development and applications, I do use GPS quite a lot, I came across many different GPS devices, from just GPS logger, SD/CFIO GPS, Bluetooth GPS, Car navigation system to PDA/Smartphone with buildin GPS/aGPS/eGPS…

This is what we are going to test this time, the Holux M-241 wireless GPS logger.


Front side view.


LCD Display in the front.


The buttons, Mode and Enter.

Compare to normal Bluetooth GPS on the market, Holux do try to make some difference on this device.

Instead of just a GPS device to connect to other device using BT, M241 itself is also a GPS Logger with a tiny LCD display, which display basic GPS info. example like Long/Lat/Time/Directions etc.

It can work as a GPS logger itself with a storage of about 130,000 point entries and work as a Bluetooth GPS device simultaneously, so if you need extra data/use of the GPS, you can connect to it using your PDA/smartphone, while it keep on it’s logging process.

A bit more spec-wise on the device:
Chipset: MTK
Channels: 32
Display: LCD with backlight 32* 8.9mm 128*32 pixel
Powered by: 1AA battery up to 12 hours.
Connection: Bluetooth SPP, USB UART COM
Storage: 130000 point entries
M-241 Specs – Holux officials site

I love the idea of being able to log and use the device at a same time, so I can keep a full log of my trip, and extra on my smartphone when I needed it.

The search of GPS (Fixing) is quite fast, took about 30~90 secs from start to a fix in a city street next to buildings, signal is good even in a bus.

Thinks Holux did spend sometime on the device, it comes with a few software utilities on GPS (I found out why after, read the nag.) these software include data download, map GIS data to JPEGs, export to KML (GoogleEarth) etc.

Nagging time to the device:
– The device uses MTK Chipset which I found it not working as good as SiRFIII, when devices is moving slowly, example walking or staying in a same place, POS “flows” a lot, common problem on MTK Chipset (of coz, price-wise, fair enough)…..

– Instead of a standard USB Mass Storage Device when user connect M241 to PC, it actually is a COM over USB device, so extra drivers and software is needed to get it working, while the Sony GPS-CS1 does not (Work as a USB Drive with 32MB, and nmea log in txt files), also COM over USB is just slow…..

– The outlook is just……..hum…….. I consider I do not like it, it tries to make itself look like a old style Kodak Film, while a copy cat to the Sony GPS-CS1, and the finishing is…….ar…….below the standard I will say…. see how the battery cover was design, I think it is going to break anytime.


Battery Cover, AA battery, see nagging about the cover.


In compare to Sony GPS-CS1


In compare to Sony GPS-CS1

Overall, with the happy price tag and functions, I am happy about the device, as firmware of the device can be upgrade, hope Holux do fix and add more function of it in the future..

Links
Holux M-241 Wireless GPS logger – Holux Official Site.